Governor Arthur Yap has extended the travel ban to Bohol ordering its effectivity to last until April 12, 2020 as part of efforts to protect the province from the rapidly growing coronavirus threat (COVID-19)

Yap executed the order through Executive Order No. 14 which he issued on Thursday, a day before the travel ban’s supposed lifting.

According to Yap, the extension was ordered in anticipation of a feared sudden increase of cases in the country which are mostly recorded in Metro Manila.

“Dinhi sa atong nasud makaingon pa g’yud ta na di pa ni mao ang pinaka-grabe na sitwasyon,” he said.

The extension will also allow Bohol to further prepare local health personnel and facilities should an outbreak hit the province.

The governor’s order was issued after consultations with the business community, civil society groups, provincial lawmakers, and health authorities.

Yap said that municipal health officers across the province need more time to train barangay health workers and establish isolation centers.

“Ingon sila [municipal health workers] na dili pa igo ug dili pa sila andam na modala sa ilang mga lungsod,” he added.

The Capitol Annex which is now being turned into a province-level isolation center has also yet to be completed while more health personnel are needed to man the facility.

Meanwhile, cargo vessels and planes will still be exempted from the travel restriction so as not to hamper the delivery of goods into the province.